Career Services Office Staff

Dr. Amanda L. Walker

Director of Career Services

Director – Dr. Amanda L. Walker is currently serving as the Director of Career Services
for Austin Peay State University (APSU). Dr. Walker is trained as a Career Development
Facilitator (CDF) and holds certifications in Lean Six Sigma (Greenbelt), Myers Briggs
Type Indicator (MBTI), and Strong Interest Inventory (SII).

Dr. Walker has a broad-range of skillsets that allows her to make informed decisions.
She has revitalized Career Services at APSU. She oversees staffing, overall operations,
training, employer relations, and community engagement for the office. In addition,
in the last five years she has used her experience and research to provide consulting
for regional and national consulting firms.

Dr. Walker is serving her community in several capacities: Regional Planning Commissioner,
Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Area Career Fair Consortium
(NACF), serves as a higher educational consultant for the Southern Association of
Colleges and Employers (SoACE) and the National Association of Colleges and Employers
(NACE). She is an alumnae member of Sigma Kappa Sorority. Walker has also been nominated
for the Nashville Chamber’s Nashville Emerging Leader Award for three consecutive
years (recognizing emerging leaders under 40 impacting industry & community).

Dr. Walker earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Arts in Higher
Education from The University of Mississippi and a Doctor of Education from Delta
State University in Professional Studies in Higher Education. Her dissertation focused
on employer perspectives on the value of experiential education. She has published
three chapters in three nationally recognized books on career services and the importance
of internships.

Tonika L. East, Ed.S., CDF

Assistant Director of Career Services

Assistant Director of Career Services — As a primary focus she oversees our Freshmen,
Sophomores and Juniors regarding career exploration and career assessments. In addition,
Ms. Jordan will assist with resume, cover letter and Curriculum Vita (CV’s) reviews
as well as mock interviews and personal statements. She will serve as the liaison
for the College of Arts and Letters, School of Nursing, College of Education and College
of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Ms. Jordan completed her Educational Specialist
(Ed.S.) in 2014 in Higher Education Administration & Supervision and in 2009 her Master
of Education (M.Ed.) in Mild and Moderate Disabilities at Middle Tennessee State University.
Ms. Jordan also accomplished the challenge of finishing her dual-degrees in 2001 from
Tennessee State University. She received a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a
Bachelor of Science in Speech Theatre/Communications.

Megan Simpson

Coordinator, Recruiting and Internships

Coordinator - As a key focus, assists students with the job and internship search
and oversees the on-campus recruiting program, including coordination of on-campus
interviews and hosting information sessions. Provides a variety of services to students
through career events, workshops and individual appointments as well as actively collaborates
with faculty and administrators to market opportunities and events to students. The
recruitment coordinator fosters relationships with potential employers, maintains
the Jobs4Govs employer database, and manages the APSU Career Services webpage and
social media pages.

Michael L. Peeler, M.S.

Career Advisor

Career Advisor - As a major focus, Mr. Peeler provides career counseling to military
affiliated students, assisting students and alumni with career exploration, internship
and job preparation, and graduate and professional school planning. In addition,
he serves as a resource for students seeking employment with local, state, and federal
government entities and collaborates with area employers to provide employment opportunities
for students. He provides a wide range of informational workshops to enhance students’
job development and placement skills. Mr. Peeler is a retired U.S. Army officer with
over 26 years of active military service. He has a Master of Science in Adult, Occupational
and Continuing Education from Kansas State University. He received his Bachelor of
Science in Physical Education and Health from the University of Tennessee at Martin

Mark Reed

Administrative Assistant II

This position supports the mission of Career Services working with students, staff,
and faculty on campus as well as visitors and employers. Provides operations support
in the administration of the department. Responsible for scheduling student appointments,
processing payables/receivables, coordinating activities of the office, preparing
reports, and maintaining inventory. Maintains the fiscal affairs of the department
and monitors budget expenditures.

The Career Peer Educators

The team of Career Peer Educators (CPE) supports the APSU Career Services mission
by expanding the Office of Career Services ability to reach students. CPEs serve as
ambassadors of Career Services to students by conducting presentations on career-related
topics promoting services and resources to the University community. CPEs will also
have the opportunity to learn about career resources while assisting the Career Center
with a wide range of projects. While working on these various tasks, CPEs will receive
training about and exposure to many different career tools and resources and will
be encouraged to utilize this knowledge in their own career development. CPE will
also receive professional mentoring and provide reflections based on their experience
as a CPE.